Investing From the Top Down: A Marco App

In Investing from the Top Down, Anthony Crescenzi, esteemed financial author and chief bond strategist for Miller Tabak & Co., explains how to develop new, highly effective investment strategies by taking a macro view of the factors shaping industries and markets. Emphasizing the importance of economic and market cycles (as opposed to a bottom-up approach, which places valuation ahead of the big picture) top-down investing is better suited for today's global economy and will likely become the dominant strategy in the future.

Crescenzi provides more than fifty tools for analyzing domestic and international trends and indicators, such as GDP growth rates, inflation, interest and exchange rates, and energy prices. He then explains how to narrow your search down to region, total sales, price levels, competition, and entry/exit from market to make astute buying and selling decisions. Crescenzi explains why "thematic" investing is the ideal approach for:

• Taking full advantage of exchange traded funds (ETFs)
• Using the policies of central banks to steer your investments
• Designing diversification best suited for the long term
• Using sector selection to insulate your portfolio from risk
• Maximizing profits when market sentiment spikes or plummets

Investing from the Top Down covers every major financial instrument and investment choice, from bonds, treasuries, and currencies to real estate, private equity, and emerging markets. Crescenzi concludes with an extensive list of market indicators, providing specific advice on how to exploit them using a top-down investment strategy.